The U.S. Coast Guard seized over 13,000 pounds of cocaine during Operation Pacific Viper in the Eastern Pacific, intercepting multiple smuggling vessels and detaining 11 suspects.
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched Operation Pacific Viper, deploying a large-scale maritime response in the Eastern Pacific to preempt drug cartel operations and human smuggling attempts. Within a short span, the campaign has resulted in the seizure of over 13,000 pounds of cocaine and the apprehension of 11 individuals.
On August 8, the Legend-class cutter Hamilton intercepted a suspect vessel south of Mexico, confiscating more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine and detaining three persons. Just a few days later, on August 11, a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment aboard the Navy destroyer USS Sampson disabled another smuggling boat using a helicopter, leading to the seizure of approximately 1,300 pounds of cocaine and the arrest of two suspects.
On August 16, the cutter Stone intercepted a vessel near the Galapagos Islands, disabling it via aerial fire. Law enforcement teams seized upwards of 3,500 pounds of cocaine and detained three individuals. The following day, the Stone repeated a similar interdiction, again terminating the suspect vessel's engine from the air and recovering more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine, while arresting three more suspects.
Further operations on August 19 yielded nearly 3,000 pounds of cocaine seized by the Stone, and another 750 pounds was recovered by a craft dispatched from the cutter Venturous, after it was jettisoned by a target vessel.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem emphasized that “80% of illicit drug seizures occur at sea”, and underscored the strategic aim of Operation Pacific Viper to intercept smuggling routes before contraband reaches U.S. territory.